Implications of SARS-CoV-2 on current and future operation and management of wastewater systems.

While researchers have acknowledged the potential role of environmental scientists, engineers, and industrial hygienists during this pandemic, the role of the water utility professional is often overlooked. The wastewater sector is critical to public health protection and employs collection and treatment system workers who perform tasks with high potential for exposures to biological agents. While various technical guidances and reports have initially provided direction to the water sector, the rapidly growing body of research publications necessitates the constant review of these papers and data synthesis.

Three-dimensional culture of mouse renal carcinoma cells in agarose macrobeads selects for a subpopulation of cells with cancer stem cell or cancer progenitor properties.

The culture of tumor cell lines in three-dimensional scaffolds is considered to more closely replicate the in vivo tumor microenvironment than the standard method of two-dimensional cell culture. We hypothesized that our method of encapsulating and maintaining viable and functional pancreatic islets in agarose-agarose macrobeads (diameter 6-8 mm) might provide a novel method for the culture of tumor cell lines. In this report we describe and characterize tumor colonies that form within macrobeads seeded with mouse renal adenocarcinoma cells.

Hydrophilic agarose macrobead cultures select for outgrowth of carcinoma cell populations that can restrict tumor growth.

Cancer cells and their associated tumors have long been considered to exhibit unregulated proliferation or growth. However, a substantial body of evidence indicates that tumor growth is subject to both positive and negative regulatory controls. Here, we describe a novel property of tumor growth regulation that is neither species nor tumor-type specific.

Improved glucose regulation on a low carbohydrate diet in diabetic rats transplanted with macroencapsulated porcine islets.

Islet xenografts from porcine donors can reverse diabetes in experimental animal models and may be an alternative to human islet transplantation. We have recently reported the ability of porcine islets encapsulated in a double layer of hydrophilic agarose to maintain in vitro functional ability for >6 months. Although beta-cells are capable of adapting their secretory capacity in response to glucose levels, evidence has shown that prolonged hyperglycemia can compromise this ability.

Encapsulation of porcine islets permits extended culture time and insulin independence in spontaneously diabetic BB rats.

The ability to culture porcine islets for extended times allows for both their functional assessment and the assurance of their microbiological safety prior to transplantation. We have previously shown that agarose-encapsulated porcine islets can be cultured for at least 24 weeks. In the current study, porcine islet agarose macrobeads cultured for up to 67 weeks were assessed for their ability to restore normoglycemia, respond to an intraperitoneal glucose challenge, maintain spontaneously diabetic BB rats free of insulin therapy for more than 6 months, and for their biocompatibility.

The use of pancreas biopsy scoring provides reliable porcine islet yields while encapsulation permits the determination of microbiological safety.

For clinical xenogenic islet transplantation to be successful, several requirements must be met. Among them is a sizeable and reliable source of fully functional and microbiologically safe islets. The inherent variability among porcine pancreases, with respect to islet yield, prompted us to develop a Biopsy Score technique to determine the suitability of each pancreas for islet isolation processing.

Neutralization of endotoxin by a phospholipid emulsion in healthy volunteers.

Background: An approach to endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide [LPS]) blockade makes use of the ability of lipoproteins, via surface phospholipids, to bind and neutralize LPS. The aim of the present study was to determine whether the intravenous administration of a protein-free, phospholipid-rich emulsion is an effective method for neutralizing the effects of LPS in healthy persons.

Methods: This was a double-blind, placebo-controlled study in 20 volunteers.

Safety and pharmacokinetics of an endotoxin-binding phospholipid emulsion.

Background: Lipids and lipoproteins have been shown to bind and neutralize endotoxin and to improve outcomes in animal models of sepsis.

Objective: To provide safety and pharmacokinetic data for a protein-free, phospholipid-rich emulsion developed as an agent to neutralize endotoxin, and to study the changes in lipids and lipoproteins following emulsion administration.

Methods: Thirty healthy male volunteers (aged 18-45 y) were given an emulsion containing 92.

A single intravenous dose of endotoxin rapidly alters serum lipoproteins and lipid transfer proteins in normal volunteers.

Endotoxemia is associated with rapid and marked declines in serum levels of LDL and HDL by unknown mechanisms. Six normal volunteers received a single, small intravenous (iv) dose of endotoxin (Escherichia coli 0113, 2 ng/kg) or saline in a random order, cross-over design. After endotoxin treatment, volunteers had mild, transient flu-like symptoms and markedly increased serum levels of tumor necrosis factor and its soluble receptors, interleukin-6, cortisol, serum amyloid A, and C-reactive protein.

LDL Apheresis: an effective and safe treatment for refractory hypercholesterolemia.

Through the efforts of Edward H. Ahrens, LDL apheresis became available for the treatment of patients, often with familial hypercholesterolemia, who have no alternative therapy for severely elevated LDL cholesterol levels. In the U.

Protein-free phospholipid emulsion treatment improved cardiopulmonary function and survival in porcine sepsis.

Lipoprotein phospholipid (PL) plays a major role in neutralization of endotoxin. This study tested the hypothesis that prophylactic administration of a PL-enriched emulsion (PRE), which augments PL content of serum lipoproteins and neutralizes endotoxin in vitro, would preserve cardiovascular function and improve survival in porcine septic peritonitis. A control group was compared with low-, mid-, and high-dose treatment groups that received PRE by primed continuous infusion for 48 h.